On your marks...

This line represents heaven and hell for me on a Saturday morning. It's the start point for Parkrun, a 5k timed run in Hove Park. It's hell because, although there are 300+ runners each week, you're really running to beat your own previous time. And heaven because when you do this, it feels fantastic.

Parkrun is an amazing concept. It started as one man's idea to do a regular time trial in his local park. Entirely run by volunteers, it's now an international movement of free weekly 5k time trials.

Thousands of runners do it each week, ranging from speedy types who do it in 15 mins to beginners who might take an hour. The atmosphere is inclusive and friendly - newcomers get a big round of applause.

I was beetroot red when I finished and the last lap was hellish as always. But I did my best time of the year so far, and therefore felt very angelic afterwards!